It takes a lot of talent, persistence, and just plain luck to make it as an actor, so we can't help but hand it to anyone who has enough chutzpah to double down and seek success with their music too. We've chronicled their adventures in the above gallery of actors who sing.

There have been countless stars who've made the journey between screen and recording booth over the years, from titans such as Frank Sinatra to double-duty teen idols like John Travolta, Leif Garrett, and pretty much everyone in the cast of Happy Days (remember the musical episode?). The number of musical actors in the public eye seems to rise and fall depending on prevailing trends, but they've never really gone away; these days, anyone with a laptop can make a professional-sounding record — including young TV and film celebrities like Hailee Steinfeld. It all adds up to a long, if not necessarily always particularly satisfying, tradition that's yielded a fair number of pop hits over the years.

Most actors-turned-musicians have taken their lumps from critics and the public, but we're not really here to sneer at any well-known actor who has enough guts (or ambition) to share their musical dreams with the world. With that in mind, here's a (mostly appreciative) look at some of the most memorable musical careers attempted by Hollywood's biggest stars. While it's hardly comprehensive, we've dug up albums from the would-be pop stars of decades past as well as more recent releases — and regardless of your genre preferences, there's something here for everyone. Click above to begin.

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